Shipping container for citrus fruits and the like



May 20, 1941. P. E. A. OLIVIER SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR CITRUS FRUITS ANDTHE LIKE Filed Oct. '25, 19:59

Patented May 20, 1941 UNETED STAT FICE SHIPPING CONTAINER FOR CITRUSFRUETS AND THE LIKE Application October 25, 1939, Serial No. 301,273

5 Claims.

This invention relates to shipping containers for citrus fruit and thelike, and it has for one of its objects the provision of a cartonpreferably of such size as to constitute a unit for retail sale, adaptedto be sealed after filling, and having ends, particularly at the top,adapted to be conformed to the shape of the bulge of the fruit so as toexert pressure upon the fruit to keep the individual fruit from relativemovement in the package.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton of the classdescribed, having adjustable convex end flaps adapted to be fitted toconform to the bulging fruit, and having arcuate edged lateral end flapsadapted to be inclined inwardly against the bulge of the fruit, andretained from spreading in an outward direction by the overlappingconvex flaps.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shippingcontainer for fruit, having z a convex bottom reinforced by closureflanges having their broad faces coinciding and stapled or otherwisesecured together, said coinciding faces being in a plane which isvertical when the package is held in its normal position, there being ahand hole beneath the flanges at one end, the flanges at each endresisting strains due to the weight of the fruit.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shippingcontainer as described, hav- 3T1 ing knock-outs in certain of itspanels, which may be removed for ventilation purposes or for display ofthe fruit.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following descriptionof a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the followingspecification, and throughout the several figures of which the samecharacters of reference have been used to denote identical parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled carton;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the carton is set up.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral l representsthe carton as a whole, which is preferably formed from a single blank,and comprises the front and back panels 2 and 3, side panels 4 and 5,and a securing flap 6 at the end of one of the side panels, which isadapted to be stapled or otherwise secured to the back panel 3 at itsfree edge. Score marks or other lines of weakness form the longitudinalboundaries of these panels, so that they may be readily bent into atubular form. and secured. The flap E5 may be dispensed with, ifdesired, and the meeting edges of the panels 4 and 3 secured together byan adhesive paper tape (not shown).

The end panels which project from the top and bottom of the face panelsare respectively identical. These comprise the top panels I and 3, whichare formed on their inner sides with the score lines 9, so that they canbe bent or warped into a convex form, and formed on their outer sideswith the score lines l0 defining terminal flanges II and 12 which can bebent sharply outwardly, so that their broad inside faces can be broughtinto coincidence for closing the carton.

At the bottom of the panels 2 and 3 .are the end flaps i3 and M scoredin a similar manner to the top flaps so that they can be bent convexly,and so that the bottom terminal flanges l5 and Hi can be bent sharplyoutwardly and into coincidence, for closing the bottom of the carton.The terminal flanges l and 8, and I5 and I6, are stapled together orotherwise rigidly secured.

From the tops and bottoms of the side panels 4 and 5, are the arcuateedged lateral end flaps H, l8, l9 and 20. These are demarked from theside flaps by score lines 2! and 22, so that the lateral end flaps canbe inclined in an inward direction.

In assembling the carton, it is first stapled or otherwise secured intubular form by bringing the flap 6 and the back panel 3 together. Thebottom end is then closed by bringing the flanges H and i2 together, thelateral end flaps IT and It being at the same time pushed inward beneaththe overhanging end flaps and 8. The flanges 'l and 8, while incoincidence, are presented to a stapling machine and secured together.The carton is then filled with citrus fruit or fruit of like shape, thefruit being pressed down so as to deform the bottom end panels I and 8into a convex form, in which form they press down against the arcuateedges of the lateral end panels H and I3, and lock them in theirinwardly inclined position. The carton is filled until the fruit bulgesabove the face panels 2 and 3. The lateral end panels I9 and 20 at thetop are then pushed :angularly inward against the bulge of the fruit,and the top, front and. back panels l3 and M are tightly bent over thebulge of the fruit, being thus bent into a convex shape, until the topflanges l5 and I6 come together with their broad faces in coincidence,These flanges are then presented to the stapling machine and stapled.

It will be noted that hand holes 23 and 24, formed in the blank cometogether at the lower edges of the top flanges l5 and I6, the bridgingportions of said flanges thus becoming a handle having its broaddimension in a plane parallel to the gravitational pull of the fruit,and thus providing as strong a handle as it is possible to produce.

Referring to the bottom, it will be noted that the flanges I and 8 alsohave their broad dimension in a plane which is parallel to the directionof gravity, and thus afford a girder construction which amply supportsthe bottom of the container.

In filling the containers, it is of course, impossible that exactly thesame bulk of fruit will be placed in each one, so that the bulge at thetop may be somewhat greater in some filled cartons than others. Theconvex top flanges I and 8, are designed to take care of this variationin bulk, as the greater the bulk the more they will be bent over into aconvex form in bringing the flanges II and [2 together, so thatregardless of such variations in bulk, the convex end flaps, togetherwith the lateral end flaps i7 and I8, will always press firmly againstthe fruit, preventing the relative movement of fruit in the container,which as is well known, will cause bruising and deterioration of thefruit.

The front and back panels 2 and 3 are shown provided with knock-outs 25,the edges of which are defined by weakened lines 26, cut through atintervals, so that the knock-outs can be readily removed when desired.In general, the face panels of the box will ordinarily be leftimperforate during shipment, and the knock-outs will be removed at theplace of retail sale, for purpose of ventilation, or to display thefruit.

It is obvious that the knock-outs could be omitted without departingfrom the scope of the invention, or that they may be of any desiredshape and placed upon any of the face panels of the container as may bedesired.

While I have in the above description defined what I believe to be apreferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it will beunderstood to those skilled in the art that the specific details ofconstruction as shown and described, are by way of example, and are notto be construed as limiting the scope of the invention which is definedby the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising arectangular tubular member having front and back panels, and withinfolding flaps at the top and bottom edges of the front and backpanels, said flaps being adapted to bend convexly against the bulge offruit above the level of the front and back panels, each of saidconvexly bendable flaps terminating in flanges foldable outwardly and incoincidence when the container is closed, said flanges being adapted tobe secured together.

2. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising arectangular tubular member having front and back panels, and withinfolding flaps at the top and bottom edges of the front and backpanels, said top flaps being adapted to bend convexly against the bulgeof fruit above the level of the front and back panels, each of saidconvexly bendable flaps terminating in flanges foldable outwardly and incoincidence when the container is closed, said flaps being adapted to besecured together, and hand holes in said top flaps extending beneathsaid flanges at the top, the latter serving as a handle.

3. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising arectangular tubular member having front, back and side panels, withinfolding front and back flaps at the top and bottom edges of the frontand back panels and infolding arcuate edged lateral end flaps at the topand bottom edges of the side panels, adapted to be inclined inwardlyagainst the bulge of fruit above the level of said panels, said frontand back flaps being convexly bendable against the bulge of fruit toclosed position, making contact with the arcuate edges of said lateralend flaps, said back and front flaps terminating in outfolding endflanges adapted to coincide when the container is closed and to besecured together.

4. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising arectangular tubular member having front, back and side panels, withinfolding front and back flaps and infolding arcuate edged lateral endflaps at the top and bottom edges of the side panels, adapted to beinclined inwardly against the bulge of fruit above the level of saidpanels, said front and back flaps being longitudinally scored to permittheir being bent convexly, against the bulge of fruit, to closedposition, thereby making contact with the arcuate edges of said lateralend flaps, said back and front flaps terminating in outfolding endflanges adapted to coincide when the container is closed and therebysecured together, and hand holes in said top flaps extending beneathsaid flanges, the latter serving as a handle for the container.

5. Shipping container for citrus fruit and the like comprising arectangular tubular member having front, back and side panels, identicalclosure structure for the top and bottom of said container, the closurestructure at the top comprising infolding front and back top flaps atthe top edges of the front and back panels, and infolding arcuate edgedlateral end flaps at the top edges of said side panels, adapted to beinclined inwardly against the bulge of fruit above the level of saidpanels, said front and back top flanges being convexly bendable againstthe bulge of fruit to closed position, thereby restraining said lateralend flaps from spreading, said back and front top flaps terminating inoutfolding end flanges adapted to coincide when the container is closed,and being adapted to be secured together.

PAUL E. A. OLIVIER.

